


two days past eighteen

by blazeofglory



Category: Star Trek
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Traveling Soldier AU, soldier!Jim, waiter!Bones
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-15
Updated: 2014-02-15
Packaged: 2018-01-12 13:46:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1187508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blazeofglory/pseuds/blazeofglory
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s a rainy Tuesday when they meet for the first time. Army greens soaking wet and looking like a half-drowned cat, Jim ducks into the first building he sees.</p>
            </blockquote>





	two days past eighteen

It’s a rainy Tuesday when they meet for the first time. Army greens soaking wet and looking like a half-drowned cat, Jim ducks into the first building he sees. Once inside, he realizes it’s a diner, but it’s practically empty. He sits in a corner booth, leaving a trail of raindrops in his wake. After  a few moments of twiddling his thumbs and cursing the unpredictable weather, a waiter comes over.

And oh, what a waiter. The man looks about 23 or 24, and he’s got a glare to rival the Grinch’s, which he aims at Jim. Jim just grins at the man, unable to not notice his strong jaw and warm eyes and seriously, is it legal for small-town waiters to be this hot? His eyes dart down to the man’s nametag, which reads Leonard, and his grin widens. Leonard rolls his eyes and asks, with a subtle Southern drawl, what Jim would like to drink. He orders a coffee and Leonard walks away.

Jim casts a quick glance around the diner, bored while he waits. The place isn’t much to look at, all old looking and dusty. He figures they don’t get too many customers. He finally glances down at the menu, eyes going straight to breakfast.

Leonard returns then, holding out Jim’s coffee and looking just as grumpy as before. “What’ll it be then?”

Jim turns his charm up to fifty, looking up at the other man through his eyelashes. “What do you recommend?”

"Waffles," Leonard grunts, as if he’d rather be anywhere else at the moment.. Jim decides he likes how this man looks when he frowns, then wonders what he looks like smiling. He orders the waffles and totally doesn’t stare at Leonard’s ass when he walks away.

It isn’t long before his food arrives. The coffee had warmed him inside a little, but he’s still soaked and shivering. Before Leonard could walk away again, Jim calls out to him. “Wait! Do you, ah, want to sit?” Smooth, Kirk.

Leonard turns around with a raised brow, but steps back toward Jim’s table. Jim looks down, suddenly a little embarrassed. He doesn’t really know how to explain what he wants. “Look, I leave this afternoon. I just want a little normal human interaction before I go.”

Leonard stares at him for a second, then sits down. Jim exhales in relief. “What’s your name, kid?” the waiter asks, leaning across the table on his elbows. God, he’s even hotter to close.

"Jim. And I’m not a kid, I’m eighteen. You look barely older than me,” he points out defiantly, finally starting to cut up his waffle. He takes a large bite, which is thankfully still hot.

"Eighteen and already off to war," Leonard murmurs, shaking his head. "That’s insane."

"Gotta do what I gotta do," is Jim’s only answer. He’s heard this same spiel a million times, from teachers and friends and his mother. He’s more than a little tired of it. Leonard seems to sense this and shrugs.

"I’m studying to be a doctor," Leonard supplies, not in any sort of bragging way— just matter of factly. "Ex-wife got everything in the divorce, so now I’m here, working crazy hours to pay my way through med school and child support.” Then, after a pause, like he’s wondering if he’s already said too much, “All I’ve got left are my bones."

"Bones," Join repeats, a small smile spreading across his face. "Think I’ll call you that. Better than Leonard."

 

—-

 

Somehow, Jim manages to convince Bones (who pretends he hates the nickname, but doesn’t object too much) to come down to the pier with him once he finishes his breakfast-for-lunch. The rain’s stopped, but it’s still cool out, and the breeze coming across the lake sends shivers down his still-damp back. It’s nice, though, sitting on the edge of the pier, under the gray sky, looking out on dirty water with Bones.

Grumpy though he is, Jim finds that Bones is pretty decent company. Despite being really hot and a genius almost-doctor to boot, he’s witty and perceptive and damn it, leave it to Jim to find the perfect man less than an hour before he ships out.

"Be safe, kid," Bones says gruffly when Jim finally has to go, and he knows that he isn’t imagining the affectionate undertone there. He smiles, but it’s a little tight and sad.

"Good luck with everything," Jim manages, finally standing up. He’s only a few steps away before he turns back. Bones is watching him. "Look, I don’t exactly have anyone to write to, so I was wondering if maybe—?"

Bones nods, face unreadable, and scribbles his address down on the back of a receipt from his pocket. With one last, lingering look, Jim turns to go once more. He tries not to think about what the pit in his stomach might mean, but he just hopes that he gets to see Bones again someday.

  
At least now, maybe, he has something to really fight for.


End file.
